Synchronized clock escapement



Dec. 26, 193.9.

Jl w.f HANSEN x-:r AL

SYNCHRONIZED CLOCK ESCAPEMENT De@ 26, 1939' f l "J. w. HANSEN AL'2,184,668

v I SYNGHRONIZED CLOCK ESCAPEMENT Frild Nov. 5, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet '2 lF'IG.5.

www

Dec. 2s, 1939.

J. w. HANSEN Er AL" SYNCHRONIZED CLOCK ESCAPEMENT Find Nav'. s, 195o v ssheets-sheet s ...7mm J'ULlU W. HANSEN WILLIAM LJMNSEN,

I p, mMHunsT,

Patented hec. 26, i939 'UNITED STATE sYNcnnoNizEn. cnocx Escarnm'l."

Julius W. Hansen, 'William L. Hansen, andlra N. Hurst, Princeton, Ind.,assignors to Hansen! Manufacturing Company, Iper, Princetom 1nd.,

a corporation of Indiana application'november 3, 1930, serial N?. $2,920

r15 claims.

This invention relatesA to, clock escapements driving clock of thepresent invention with its which areeleetricallly synchronized to theordi, -nary comercial alternating electric current.

A distinction shouldbe made between the -term *,csynchronized and theterm @synchronous. The latter term is commonly used with reference to asynchronous motor with ayreduction gear for operating clocks. Such a-synchronous clock is driven by'a synchronous, motor tion, however, isdriven by a spring motor which' cial pendulum in the case of a pendulumclock may be either hand or electrically wound. The present inventionmay be applied either to a pendulum clock or towhat is known as a marinecloclnnamely, one havinga balance wheel and hair spring, to which lattertype the ordinary pocket watch belongs. Onefnbject of the presentinvention is therefore'to synchronize and regulate ythe ordinary clock.by means of an alternating current which, however, does notfurnishmotive power to drive it.` For the purpose of the presentinvention it is? only necessary to` substitute, a specialjbalance.wheelin the\case of a marine clock, and a spefor these ,parts asAordinauily'foundin clocks. The lessential problem is to ascertain thedistance the periphery of .the balance wheel travels in one second andsupply this, distance with 120 pole projections inthe case of asixty-cycle current, since :there are 120 lalternations in suchvcurrent. l What has `been said in regard to balance vs {heelsy alsoappliesto pendulum clocks. In thisl 4'form of clock the oscillation is'effected by a pendulum rather than by a balance rwheel, and a similararrangement of poles is necessary, these p oles being located. at somesuitable point .near

the lower/end of thev pendulum. n It is another object of this inventionto provide a time-piece* that is not entirely Vdependent f 'on electriccurrent for operation, and that will \rent.r

For the purpose' of illustrating' the intention' there is shown in theaccompanyingfiorms ,af preferred embodiment of the synchronized self?clocks with bered 6, 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d.- 'Ihe site ends of' the magnet."l8. I'helatter is enregulating, synchronizing mechanism.

Referring to the drawings:l

Figure 1 shows a `side elevatlonor a balance `wheel and the escapementyassociated therewith.

Figure 2 shows a topplan view of the cloclg parts shown in Figure 1.Figure 3 shows a modified form wher control. v f

Figure 4` shows a front elevation ofthe lower end of a pendulum adaptedto beused nection with a clock control of this type.

Figure 5 shows' aside elevation oi the form shown in Figure 4. s

Figure 6 shows a slightly modiiled form-'of therewith.' s i, c c

'Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1, 2 and 3 show thepresent invention as applied to a balance wheel l and escapement controlmechanism supported-bya frame A of anysuitable material, usually brassNor the like.

The.' balance wheel I vis carried by a shaft 2 suitably supported by theframe A so that thev balance wheel I may freely oscillatve about thesupport of 'the shaft 2". On one Aend qi the shaift 2 adjacent one partof the frame is a hair. spring On the balance lwheel I and disposeddiametvrically opposite one another are two groups of projections ofmagnetic material. In one group the projections are numbered 5, 5a,5b,`5c and 5d. In the other group the projections are lnumrv Yprojections or the respective groups are so arranged that t e of'balance con- 15 balance wheelgand the `control ma'gnet operating i lD3, which has one end attached 'by ,some'suitable I projections 5 and 6,5a and 6o. 5b and 6b, 5c and o 6c and 5d and Bdare-opposite onevanother. witl a greater space v.intervening between the two.v

'-groups than between, the individual projectionsg within each group. f

Disposed adjacent; the respective groups o! pro. 45y y jections and inline with a diameter throughsthe balance wheel shaft 2 are theoppositely arranged magnet pole members i9 ,and20 at` thefoppocircled bythe energizing` coill 2|; jlhe abovementioned projections arelso spacedapart/that 1n the osciuanonf'of theba1ance lwheel l the movement Iof onerojection from one position to the position -of i next adjacentprojection place during thetime that the chan/'ge in. u

magnetism takes place in adjacent magnetic pole I9 or 20.

Let it be assumed that thebalance wheel I as i shown in Figure 1 ismoving in a clockwise direction and that the coil 2I is energized byalternating current electricity. 'I'he magnetism of the pole I9 magnetizthe projection 5c on the bale ance wheel adjacent thef pole I9 andattracts the projection toward it. At the'time thisprojection reachesthe position opposite the pole a current passing through the coil `2l-will have changed direction so lthat the pole I9 is differentlymagnetized, thereby repelling the projection 5c and bringing oppositethe pole I9 the projection 5d, which has become magnetized by itspresence adjacent the pole I9.

By the time the projection 5d reaches the `position opposite the pole I9the directionof the lcurrent in the coil 2I again changes and dif'ferently magnetizes the pole I9 so that the projection is repelled andanotherv one attracted.'

This continues until the space between the pro- I jection 5dand '5b isreached, at which time no l the oscillating wheel yor balance wheel I.'I'he structure so far described is substantially that vbe engaged bythe stud part of the balance lwheel is magnetized whereupon the coilspring I reverses the direction of oscillation of the balance wheel I.opposite action of the'magnet .takes place and causes the balance wheelto rotate in an anticlockwise direction by successivelymagnetizing,attracting and repelling the diiferent projections.

While we have` mentioned only the projections moving adjacent the poleI9, the same results and actions are meanwhile taking place in theAopposite projections 6, 6a, 5b', 5c and 6d adjacent the pole 20. Thepoles I9 and 20'are oppositely magnetized 4when the coil 2I is energizedand -cooperate with each other in controlling the oscillation of thebalance wheel.

Extending from one side of the balance wheel is a stud or projection 1adapted to engage one Then the end of an escapement lever II. At theopposite -end of the escapem'ent lever II is an escapement wheel 8,which -is mounted upon a shaft 9 plyoted in the frame A and has theusual teeth I9. The escapement lever II is pivotally supported \by theshaft I2 in the frame A. The end of the. lever I I adjacent'theescapementwheel shaft 9 is curved to form two arms I9, which straddlethe shaft 9 as shown in Figure l;

Extending from the shaft I2 and in the direction ofthe teeth I9 od thewhee18 are oppositely disposed .escapement prongs I4 and I5. These twoprongs constitute the escapement part of the escapement lever II, andare adapted to alternately engage the teeth I0 during the operation ofthe clock mechanism. On the end of the escapement arm lremote from thevcurved arms I8 is a head I8 having seats I1 adaptedto I 1 intheoscillation of the balance wheel I. A v The power, from whatever sourceit is derived, is connected to the shaft 8 in some suitable-manner sothat the escapement wheel 8 is caused to move. in one direction and iscontrolled in.,` that Amovement by the operation of the escapementvlever II, which is controlled in its movement by found in marineclocks.

Associated with the bplance wheel isa mag-v opposite each other.

through the coil 23 oppositelyl magnetizes poles spring.

odically the projections on the balance wheel I pass adjacent the freeends of the arms of the magnet. Coiled around the magnet is the previously mentioned energizing coil 2| which is connected to some source ofalternating current of electricity. In the operationof the clock ofFigures l and 2, as the current of electricity passes through this coilthe poles I9 and 20 of the magnet I9 are oppositely magnetized and themagnetization of these poles causes the projections on the balance wheelIto become magnetized so that they are alternately drawn and repelle'd,due to the rapid successive changes in the magnetization of thedifferent poles. This action has been previously described. -V

In Figure 3 there is shown 'a slightly ,m'odied form of magnetic controlfor the oscillating balance wheel. In this form instead of having' thegroups of projections on the balance wheel the projections are arrangedin groups on the magL net. In this form the magnet 22 has 'a coil 23 andpoles 24 and 25, similar to the poles shown' in Figure l, with theexception that in this form the outer ends of the poles are arch shapedto corespond to the curvature of the periphery of th balance whee126,and have projections projecting inwardly toward the balance wheelprojections 21 and 28. On the pole 24 the inwardly directing projectionsare indicated by 24a, 24h, 24o, 24d and 24e, while the projections on,the .pole 25, which is.l shaped similarly to pole 24,

' are indicated by 25d, 25h, 25e, 25d and 25e.

In this form the balance wheel 25 has only two projections, 21 and 28,which are arranged The current passing 24 and 28:"'When the pole 24 ispositively magnetized the projection 21\is negatively magnetized. Thepole 25 is negatively' magnetized, while the projection `28 .is-lpositively magnetized.

Since the balance-wheel :28 is oscillating, due to the action of thespring, simiiarto that shown in- -Figure l, the projections 21 and 28move away from the projections presently adjacent to them, and whilethey are thus moving the currentshifts so that the magnetization of thepoles 24 and 25 changes, the pole 24 becoming negative and the pole 25becoming positive. This magnetization of the poles repels theprojections 21 and 28, afterl which they .become magnetized oppositelyto their previous magnetization and are attracted by the projections 24oand 25h. This actioncon- -tinues until the. projection 21 passes beyondthe projection 24c and the projection 28 passes beyond the projection25c.

By this time the energy stored up in the spring has become suflicientlygreat that the reverse action of the balance wheel takes place, and theprojection 21 moves vsuccessively past the projections 24c, 24h untilthe -projection 21 passes the projection 24e. 'When the magnetization o!the projections 21 and 28 again ceases the reverse rotation of thebalance wheel takes place, dueto the opposite accumulation of force inthe hair The parts are so arranged that the movement of the projection21 from one projection on the pole to another projection on the poletakes place in the time required for the change in alternation. of thealternating current through the coil 23, anda consequent change in themagnetization of the projections on the poles 24 Aand 2l. In otherwords. the period of time required for `the projection 21 to move fromthe projection 24e around to theprojection cis twoeomplete alternation.

tions 3| extend upwardly, while the projections 32'extend downwardly, asindicated in Figure 4. In Figure 5.there is shown a magnet 33 which haspoles 34 and 35. This magnet is in the form of a shoe and has aroundthe. central part thereof a coil 36 for receiving. an alternating'electric current. The magnetization eected in this uform is similar tothat in the other forms. Instead of operating upon a balance wheel inthe present instance the poles operate uponprojectionson a between theprojections 43a and 43h is equal to pendulum. 'I'he action andprinciples of action are-in all senses the same. In this ease theycontrol the oscillation of the pendulum, while in the other two forms ofthel invention the control is 'applied to the oscillation of a balancewheel.

The balance wheels I and 26. and the pendulum bob 30 and the projectionson the pendulum bob are made of some magnetic material, such as softiron, and the magnets are of the same material.

In the form shown` in igure 6 the balance wheel 31 is made of somenon-magnetic material and has recesses 38 at diametrically opposite Ipoints in its periphery. In one of these recesses is mounted a soft ironplug 39, which has extend-` ing .radially therefrom a plurality oiprojections. The central projection .434 has spaced equally ltherefromtwo projections 43a and 43e. y

Equally spaced from these two projections 40a and 40e are projections40h and 40d. The space' i the space between the projections 4| lc and40d.

Likewise, the spaces between the projections 40 g5/and 40e, and 40 and40a arevequal. These projections are thus arranged because as thebalance wheel approaches the end of its period of oscillation its speedof movement is retarded, and by the arrangement of the projections ashere de; scribed', the periods of time between which one JprojectionAand the .succeedingl projection pass ,in front of one of the magnetpoles are the same.-

In'the other o! the recesses 33 is mounted a non-magnetic plug 4I. Thisyplug is of the same `weight as the plug 30 so that the balance wheel ismaintained in a balanced condition. Thisjplug 4 Iv may have projectionstherefrom'similar to the projections on the plug 33. However, theseplugs maybe omitted, the object in either case being that theplug 4| beof the same weight as the plug 'which has pole.' pieces 43 and 44.Around the part ofthe magnet intermediate the 'poles is a coil 43connected to some source of alternating electric current. When thecurrent is'passing through the wires of the coil the poles arealternately and thepolea line of magnetic flux, as shownv oppositelymagnetized. In thus magnetizin'g the poles a magnetic flux 4I isproduced, which alternates through the poles-and produces-analterfnating magnetic ilux inthe projections opposite in Figure 6,may be followednot 'only through the poles but through the core and thev projections thereon adjacent the ends of the poles 43 and 44. l

driven independently, as by a penduilidjacent the plug 33 is a horseshoe magnet 42,

3 The action in this form is the' same as that-1n the others, thediierence being that in this form the projections are arrangedsuccessivelyv closer -one to the other beginning with themiddle'proprojection the same for all points in the period ofloscillation of the balance wheel. In this lform the usual hair spring isused for providing the energy for oscillating the balance wheel.

We desire to comprehend within our invention such modifications as maybe embraced within 1 our claims and the scope of our invention.

Having-thus fully described our invention, what 'we claim is new and.desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 1. In a.clock mechanism, anoscillating mem.-

berhaving .a plurality of pairs of oppositely d is-v posed projections,a source of an alternating'electric current, and means acted upon bysaid cur` rent to alternately attract and repel successively each pairof projections. t.

2. In a clock` mechanism, an oscillating member having a plurality ofpairs of QDpositely disposed projections, asourc of an-alternatinglelectricfcurrent, a magnet having arifarm oneach side of saidoscillating member, and means acted. upon by said current-to alternatelyand oppositely magnetize said arms "to alternately attract and. repelsuccessively the projections of each pair of projections as theoscillating member oscillates.

3. In a clock mechanism, a rotating member and .meansv to controlthespeed of rotation of said rotating member, said means comprising anoscillating member having oppositely disposed groups of projectionsthereon, and means acting in regular periodic succession to attractandrepel in succession the projections of each group.

4. In a` clock mechanism, al rotating member, an oscillatingjmember tocontrol the speed of rotation of said rotating member, said oscillating-member having` a pair of groups of projections, and magnetic meansactingin regular periodic succession to successively magnetize, attractand repel successively` each projection'of eachgroup to determine theperiod ot oscillation -in one direction.

5. In'a clock mechanism, an oscillating. member of non-magnetic'material, 'a plurality of magnetic projections from one side of-saidoscil-v lating member, means to cause said member to iscillate, amagnetic member adjacent said projections, and means to cause avariation of magnetic ux in said magnetic member whereby the period ofoscillation of the oscillating member is maintained uniform.

6. In a clock mechanism, a balance wheel of 6 non-magnetic materialhaving in one part a plug of non-.magnetic material and an oppositelydishaving projections thereon, a U-shaped magnetic posed plug. ofmagnetic material, said last plug member with its endsdisposed adjacentsaid projections, and means to cause an alternating magneticjux in saidmagneticmember.

7. In a clock mechanism, an oscillating wheel= of non-magnetic materialhaving on its periphery a plug 'of magnetic material,l said.. plughaving projectionsthereon, a U-shaped magnetic member with its endsadjacent said projections, and' a coil around the centralpart of saidmagnetic member whereby the ends of saidmagnetic member are alternatelyoppositely magnetized to regulate the oscillation of said wheel.

8'. In a clock mechanism,` a balance wheel of non-magnetic materialhaving on one-part of its periphery a plug of magnetic material, saidplug having spaced projections thereon, the spaces between theprojections uniformly decreasing from the central projection to the endprojections, means to cause the -wheel to oscillate, a looped magnethaving its ends adjacent the projections, and means to successivelyalternately magnetize the ends oi the magnet and the projections on thewheel. l

9. In a balance-wheel-escapement clock mech-r anism, a balance wheelhaving poles, means to. drive said balance wheel, and means in circuit\with a source of alternating current adapted to electrically iniiuencethe movement 'of said ,balance wheel to bring its movements in harmonywith the alternations o f lcurrent in said circuit.

10. In a balance-wheel-escapement clock mechanism, a balance wheelhaving poles, means to drive said balance wheel, and means in circuitwith a source of alternating current adaptedito electrically influencethe movement of said balance wheel to bring its movement in harmony withthe alternations of current in said circuit,

lsaid second-named means comprising an electromagnet. Y.

11. In a balance-wheel-escapement clock mechanism, a balance wheelhaving poles, means to drive said balance wheel, and means connected toan alternating-current circuit associated with said balance wheel andadapted to bring its movements into synchronism with the alternations ofcurrent in said circuit.

12. Inl a balance-wheel-escapement clock mechanism, a balance wheelhaving poles, means to drive said balance wheel, a synchronizing meanshaying poles associated with the poles ofethe A balance wheel but spacedtherefrom, and an alternating currentcirmntssociated with saidsynchronizing means whereby the movement of the `balance wheel will besynchronized with the alternations of the current'in the circuit.

V13. In a balance-wheeleescapement clock mechanism, a balance wheelhaving poles, means to drive said balance wheel, a synchronizing meanshaving poles associated with the poles ofthe balance wheel but spacedtherefrom, alternating current circuit associated with saidsynchronizing means whereby the movement of the balance wheelwill besynchronized withgthe alternations of the currentin the circuit, saidsynchronizing means comprising an electro-magnet.

14. In a balance-wheel-escapement clock mechanism, a balance wheel insaid clock, said wheel having projections thereon, means to drive saidibalance wheell and means connected to an alternating current circuitJadapted/to regulate the movements of said balance wheel and synchronizethem in harmony with thealternations of -the current in said circuitby`successively\magnetiz\ in g, attracting and repelling eachprojection.

15. In combination, an escapement, an escapeandan ment lever, a'balancewheel, a hair spring, said f balance wheel having a plurality of vprojtions,` an electro-magnet having oppositely-di posed poles adjacent saidprojections successively, and a source of alternating current connectedtherewith JUIIUS W. HANSEN.

. IRA N. HURST.

WILLIAM L. HANSEN.

